UK to send troops to Poland for NATO exercises

The UK will send close to 1,000 troops to take part in NATO exercises in Poland this summer, Britain's ministry of defence has revealed.

Photo: Glowimages

The move follows Poland's appeals for the consolidation of NATO's eastern flank in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

The UK's defence secretary Michael Fallon will elaborate on the commitment on Wednesday afternoon in Edinburgh, following a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Antoni Macierewicz.

“The long history between our countries is deeply rooted,” a statement by Fallon stresses.

“This troop commitment demonstrates the UK’s vital work with NATO allies, including Poland, to ensure our collective forces are primed and ready and sends a clear message to our allies that we are ready to respond to any threat.”

The confirmation comes amid talks between Poland and the UK concerning the British government's bid to renegotiate its membership of the EU.

Poland's socially conservative Law and Justice government has affirmed that it wants the UK to stay in the EU, with a referendum due on the matter in Britain.

British prime minister's David Cameron's proposed changes could see immigrant benefits curtailed, a move that would affect thousands of Poles who recently arrived in the UK.

In interviews with the press this month, Poland's foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski indicated that Poland was open to negotiation on the benefits question, although he then gave a contradictory statement to Polish journalists.